UNION COUNTY, N.C. — A student at a Union County high school has been diagnosed with whooping cough, health officials said Wednesday.
The student is enrolled at Marvin Ridge High School. The school is working with the health department to contact trace and will send a letter to any family whose child had close contact with them.
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It’s unclear when the student tested positive or how many people they may have been exposed to.
Health officials did not say how the student contracted whooping cough, also known as pertussis. They said hundreds of cases are reported each year in North Carolina.
Pertussis affects a person’s airway and spreads easily from person to person by coughing or sneezing. It causes a severe “whooping” cough that can last for weeks or months and is dangerous for infants and people with weak immune systems.
There’s a vaccine that protects against whooping cough. Make sure your family’s vaccinations are current, as protection from pertussis from the childhood vaccine decreases over time. Older children and adults, including those who are pregnant, should get a booster Tdap shot to protect themselves and their communities.
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